1. Technical Field
This invention relates to pedal boosters and, more particularly, to a vehicle pedal booster for assisting a driver of a vehicle to reach an existing vehicle pedal during driving conditions.
2. Prior Art
Everyday, millions of Americans climb into their cars, trucks or minivans and make their way across the highways and byways of this great land. Whether a retired couple embarking on a cross country journey, a college coed enduring a long commute to school, or a busy homemaker driving a few blocks to the neighborhood grocer, automobiles offer consumers a simple way in which to get from one place to another, both safely and easily. Perhaps the greatest invention of modern history, the introduction of the automobile is often attributed to Henry Ford in the year 1896. However, the concept and prototype for both an internal combustion and steam engine vehicle, was developed years earlier.
Regardless of when the first automobile made its way onto American roads, it is safe to say that this revolutionary product vastly changed the landscape of our country and as quickly as those early production models came off of the assembly line they were snapped up by a populace eager to experience the freedom of mobility that this new form of transportation afforded. Initially there was little concern for safety devices to be incorporated into the design of automobiles. However, as the number of roads, cars and drivers multiplied, so did the number of automobile accidents, until the point that the federal government determined a need to require automobile manufacturers to begin designing safer cars. One of the most important safety features mandated by government into the manufacture of every new automobile produced was the safety belt.
There is little doubt that the safety belt has saved thousands of lives since they were required as standard equipment. Today, of course, the air bag is the darling of the automobile safety front. Used in conjunction with safety belts, air bags are the next big step into driver and passenger automobile safety. Although air bags do not have the long history of usage and accident prevention that seat belts enjoy, there is much evidence to support their overall effectiveness.
While air bags certainly work to save lives endangered by automobile collisions, there are many drawbacks associated with their use. Foremost is the force and speed of air bag inflation. While speedy air bag inflation is key to protecting the car's occupants when a collision occurs, there have been various reports of injuries occurring to drivers and passengers simply as a result of the air bag deployment itself, and not from the collision. To this end, the National Transportation Safety Board has determined that infants in restraint seats are to be belted down facing backwards in order to avoid possible injuries from rapidly inflating air bags. They also determined that many of the air bag injuries to adults were caused from sitting too close to the point of air bag deployment.
This is unfortunate news for people of shorter stature, who have no option other than to bring their seat fully forward in order to reach the foot pedals and drive the vehicle. In addition to the dangers presented by air bags, sitting too close to the steering wheel can be extremely uncomfortable for the driver. Simply stated, comfortably maneuvering a steering wheel when sitting mere inches away can be a nearly impossible endeavor. Unfortunately, these are challenges people of shorter stature must deal with on a regular basis. Obviously, it would be advantageous to provide a means for allowing persons of short stature to reach automobile foot pedals while maintaining a safe and comfortable distance from the steering wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,348 to Toelke discloses an adjustable control pedal for a motor vehicle that includes a first member having a slot formed therein. A pin laterally extends into the slot and has an abutment facing the first member on a side of the first member opposite the second member, and a second member is rigidly secured to the pin and movable relative to the first member along the slot. A plastic bushing encircles the pin and extends into the slot. The bushing has a flange engaging the first member on a side of the first member opposite the second member. A plastic washer encircles the pin and is located between the first and second members. A spring washer such as a wave or Belleville washer is located between the abutment and the flange and resiliently biases the second member relative to the first member to resist relative lateral movement between the first and second members to reduce lash therebetween. The pin can be either a guide pin or a drive pin of the control pedal. Various embodiments are disclosed wherein the first and second members are upper and lower pedal arms respectively and are a mounting bracket and an upper pedal arm respectively. Unfortunately, this prior art example is complicated to install and therefore requires professional installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,349 to Allen discloses an adjustable control pedal for a motor vehicle that includes a pivotable upper pedal arm having an arcuate slot formed therein. A link is pivotable relative to the upper pedal arm, and a lower pedal arm has an upper end pivotably connected to the link and a lower end carrying a pedal. A drive assembly includes a screw supported by the upper pedal arm, and a motor is operatively connected to the screw to selectively rotate the screw. A nut threadably engages the screw and adapts to move along the screw upon rotation of the screw. The nut is pivotally connected to the link such that the link pivots relative to the upper pedal arm upon movement of the nut along the screw. A pin connects to the lower pedal arm and laterally extends into the slot such that the pin moves along the slot upon pivotal movement of the link. Also disclosed is a control pedal having a drive block or a pair of spaced apart pins located in a single slot of the upper pedal arm. Unfortunately, this prior art example is complicated to install and therefore requires professional installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,871 to Burton discloses an adjustable pedal assembly for a vehicle that includes an adjustment bracket adapted for mounting on a vehicle, and the adjustment bracket includes a pair of outwardly extending side portions having a vertically extending arcuate slot. The adjustable pedal assembly also includes a pedal arm pivotally attached to the adjustment bracket using a pivot pin, such that an end of the pivot pin is slidably disposed within the arcuate slot in the adjustment bracket. The adjustable pedal assembly further includes a pedal pad mounted to the pedal arm, and a pedal adjustment mechanism operatively attached to the pedal arm for adjusting the position of the pedal arm along a predetermined path such that the pivot pin is slidably positioned in the arcuate slot relative to the predetermined path of the pedal arm to ergonomically position the pedal pad. Unfortunately, this prior art example is not designed to be installed and removed as needed by multiple drivers.
Accordingly, the present invention is disclosed in order to overcome the above noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an assembly that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, and designed for assisting a driver of a vehicle to reach an existing vehicle pedal during driving conditions. Such an adapter assembly enables consumers of short stature to comfortably reach their vehicle's foot pedals, without compromising comfort when driving. By enabling the consumer to move the vehicle seat further away from the steering wheel once the adapter is installed, the driver is placed in a much safer driving position in relation to the driver's side air bag. In this manner, the event of air bag deployment provides the consumer with all of the positive safety benefits that air bags offer, while greatly reducing any negative potential. The present invention is simple to use, inexpensive, and designed for many years of repeated use.